Just tonight
by Midnight Pearls
Summary: Azalea is an orphan with magical abilities living in a war torn country. She is so due for her prince charming but what will she do when she realises that her perfect guy may be the one behind her beloved brothers death?
1. Pretty eyes

It was a cool windy night in the city of Ascer, the capital of Meircri. Azalea was staring out the window of her small crumbly home. She could see small shapes flying around in the night. The glowing of the pretty creatures gave light to the street. Just hours before, her father had passed away. Now it was just she and her brother, Tristan. For a nine-year-old girl, she had lost a lot of her family. Her mother had died from the terrible sickness that had spread through Ascer a few months after Azalea's birth. Her father had fallen into depression which had only increased two years later when his brother and his family had been killed after a terrifying attack by the neighboring country, Eidos.

Meircri and Eidos had many skirmishes with one another which over time had turned into a terrible war. Many had been killed and Azalea was incredibly lucky as her older brother had protected her when her uncle, aunt and cousin had been killed. Eventually more sickness spread through Ascer and her father had been one of the few affected by it. The poor man was too depressed to fight against it and had died earlier this day. Thankfully, Azalea and Tristan had one guardian left, their grand mother. The old woman lived deep in the forest and was rarely spotted in the city and they had seldom visited her. She had moved away because she was so sickened by the useless war Ascer had involved it self in.

Even with her long cloak Azalea could feel the night chill. Her brother came and stood next to her, holding her in his arms.

"It's okay Azalea." He spoke softly. Azalea knew he had been crying. "Grandmother will take good care of you. As strange as she may seem, she loves you but probably not as much as I love you." Tristan tried to give out a laugh but today was not a day to make jokes.

Tristan and Azalea had a very strong bond even with six years between them. It was easy to see they were related not just because of their connection but because of their unique eyes. Both had dark violet eyes and midnight black hair.

It took a moment for Azalea to notice what her brother had just said.

"What do you mean good care of me? Don't you mean us!"?

Tristan smiled at her sharp mind.

"Azalea, my sixteenth birthday is coming soon and you know what some men do when they turn sixteen." Azalea knew exactly what that was.

Men over the age of sixteen were asked to join the other many soldiers of Meircri to fight against Eidos. Some though had no choice of joining especially orphans. It didn't take a smart person to realise that Azalea's father was going to die so Tristan had secretly volunteered to join the army and in three months would leave his home and possibly never return.

"Tristan, no! You can't leave me! I need you!" she wailed. "I don't even want to live with grandmother, I want to live with you!"

Fat tears fell down Azalea's cheeks and even though she couldn't see properly due to the tears, she could tell her brother was crying too. Tristan held Azalea even tighter who was struggling, trying to escape his grip but eventually giving up and crying even harder. "They need me too, Azalea…"

**Seven years later**

"Tristan, His lordship Duke Remington wants to see you immediately." Peter said as he passed Tristan a towel.

Tristan smiled at his good friend. He and Peter along with a few other unfortunate men had been forced to use their magical abilities to create weapons to fight against Eidos.

Tristan sighed. "Doesn't he know that I refuse to ever help him!" He wiped the sweat from his shirt and put away the sword he was currently working on. Peter shook his head and Tristan began making his way to the Dukes office. As he walked down the corridor outside, he could hear thousands of men training. They swung their swords this way and that. He couldn't help but chuckling to himself. Here they were, fighting with a sword while he could use magic to destroy whole cities!

Tristan opened the large doors to the Dukes Headquarters and found himself standing in front of five men dressed in strange black armour along with large silver swords. The swords were massive and Tristan was surprised they could hold them. Two of them wore long black coats and one had black clothe tired around is forehead. The Duke was there too dressed in his finest clothes.

"Have I come at a bad time?" Tristan asked sarcastically. He used to be polite in front his elders but after everything he had been through because of the duke, he couldn't care less.

"Not at all Tristan, otherwise I wouldn't have invited you."

Tristan sighed, closed the large door behind him and walked in further. The Duke glared at Tristan for a moment and then remembered why he was here.

"Back to the point. Tristan, in case you have not noticed but these five men are Ascer's greatest fighters; Dominic, Vincent, Tal, Stefan and Ascer's prince himself, Theodore but I also like to call him nephew."

The chubby man chuckled and Theodore smiled but kept his eyes down in embarrassment.

"As you may have heard but recently one has been killed--"

"I thought their identities were kept secret?" interrupted Tristan.

The Duke cleared his throat and began talking again. "Tristan, let me finish! I am giving you the opportunity to be the sixth member of the black hawks. You have the brains, power and strength. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about your attitude. What do you say boy?"

Tristan raised an eyebrow and gave a confused look towards the five dangerous men standing to his left. "Sorry sir but I'll pass."

Tristan began making his way out but was interrupted by the Duke.

"Stop right there Tristan! Stop acting like a child and grow up! I'm extremely frustrated at you!" Yelled Duke Remington.

Tristan gave out a laugh and turned to face the Duke.

"All you want me for is to use my magic. Get over it; I'll never use my power for such a useless cause! You plan to destroy the whole of Eidos! Many innocent people will die but you couldn't give a donkey's behind, you selfish asshole!"

In a sudden flash of movement, the five men had circled Tristan and had their weapons ready to attack.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Tristan mocked and the circle opened. He walked through and out the doors.

"Watch your back pretty eyes!" called one of the men behind him.


	2. Death

Azalea scrambled out of bed. Her back ached terribly. Her bed wasn't big enough for a fifteen-year-old girl. She certainly had enough money to buy a new one but she liked doing things the hard way. Azalea lived in her Grandmothers cottage but a year or two ago; she had passed away from old age. The woman was a great healer and had taught Azalea everything she knew and all about the forest's magical inhabitants. Despite her back pain, a smile appeared on Azalea's face. In roughly a month, the army men would come home for a small time to visit their families. She loved seeing Tristan every year along with Peter. As far as things went, Peter was Tristan's only friend. She remembered the year before. She was working in the market with her friend Sera when a loud cheer suddenly developed and soon the army could be seen marching down the streets. Azalea, Tristan and Peter went to a small cave within the forest. It was their special place and only the strange, magical animals would disturb them. In the cave, Tristan explained how he was forced to use his magic for the army. Azalea was disgusted. She never knew the Duke was that selfish, ignorant or just plain evil!

Azalea quickly got dressed and picked up her basket. She would be helping Sera today at the Markets.

She looked outside her small window, the forest looked extra beautiful today. Sounds of birds could be heard. She lived so very far away from the city but she liked it that way. The forest was peaceful- the market wasn't.

As she skipped down the path to the centre of the city, she couldn't help let out a squeal. She was so excited, Tristan meant everything to her as she did to him. He was kind and an absolute genius! Who else in this world could have so much power and be able to use it so easily. An hour or so later, Azalea had finally arrived at the centre of the city. She watched as people furiously went about the place. Stalls were set up everywhere and sellers were shouting from all over. Mornings were always extremely busy.

Azalea fought through the crowd until she finally arrived at her best friends little stall. Together, Azalea and Sera sold flowers. The best thing about selling flowers was that mainly young couples would buy them and they were mostly sweet people. Every now and then, small magical creatures were found sleeping in the flowers. It's nice getting close to a pixie without it flying away.

"Good morning Sera!" Azalea shouted as she slid behind the counter. Sera was sitting down by a small table within the stall, sorting flowers as usual.

"Oh, hello Lea!" She replied. "you are in a joyful mood today." Azalea smiled as she picked a rose from a basket.

"I don't think I need to tell you why, dear friend."

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"Tristan, you're insane!" Peter cried. "How could you reject such an offer! God knows what the black hawks would have done to you if you weren't capable of such magic!"

"Well Peter," began Tristan. "If I wasn't capable of such magic, I wouldn't be in such a mess, now would I?"

Tristan laughed as Peter shook his head. It had been a week since he was offered to become the six member of the black hawks and the duke was extremely "pissed off".

"Excuse me, Sir Tristan?"

Tristan turned around to see one of the servants that worked in the Dukes's office.

"yes?" he replied.

"Sorry to disturb you but his lordship Duke Remington wants you in his office, immediately!" She said quickly.

Tristan frowned. "I'll talk to you later, Peter. Why won't that stupid old man just get off my back?!"

Tristan walked to the Duke's office the same way he did every time but something was not right. The usual sound of men training was replaced with silence. _Where is everyone?_ He thought. The servant flung the doors open to reveal the Duke arguing with one of the black hawks. This man had a black cloak on and a hood over his head revealing just a bit of his long silver hair. Stefan was leaning over the big, sturdy desk and was shouting in the old mans face.

The man suddenly turned around, facing Tristan. A disturbing smile slid onto his face. Tristan realised only three of the five men were here.

"There you are, Tristan." Stefan said kindly but it was too easy to see it was an act.

"What the hell do you want now?!" Tristan demanded as he clenched his sword. It was certainly not as powerful as the ones the other three had.

The smile on Stefan's face disappeared instantly. "The old man's right, you have a terrible attitude but hey, it makes it much more easier to kill you!"

Stefan pulled out his sword and charged towards Tristan. Thankfully Tristan had pulled out his sword in time to defend himself. The two began to fight madly. The Duke stood in shock as he watched the two skilled men fight. Little did he realise that Dominic was moving towards him. Before the Duke could react, Dominic brought out his sword and slit the mans throat. He smiled as the older man fell to the ground.

Suddenly the doors opened and the other two men came marching in. It was the prince and the man who wore a head band over his forehead.

"Stefan! What are you doing?!?!" The prince shouted. Both the prince and Vincent watched in horror as Tristan accidentally tumbled and Stefan stabbed him in the chest.

Tristan fell to the floor, coughing. Blood slowly coming out of his mouth.

The prince ran to Tristan's side and knelt down beside him.

"What HAVE you done?!" He shouted at Stefan. He then caught a glimpse of a dead body behind the desk. "You killed Tristan and my uncle?!"

Stefan yawned and dropped his blood covered sword. Prince Theodore stood up as the other men came walking over. "He had a family you know!" He argued.

"So does Pretty eyes." Stefan smoothly replied. "We'll just find his sister instead."

Tristan, on his last breathe, quickly picked up his sword and stabbed the closest knight towards him-Tal. Tal dropped to the ground instantly for the stab was fatal. After a short moment of shock, Stefan brought out his sword- looking more dangerous than ever and stabbed Tristan in the stomach.

"Stay dead this time, Pretty eyes!" He screamed. Tristan felt another shot of extreme pain and then his world turned pitch black. Forever.

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It was the day the men would return back to their homes. A massive crowd had formed in the central of the city-the market area. The whole market was closed for the day as it would be too crowded to sell anything. Azalea sat eagerly in the flower stall. She was so excited. Her stomach was doing funny things and her jaw was sore from smiling too much. Suddenly a large cheer developed and Azalea jumped up to see. Hundreds of men came walking happily into the markets- immediately being smothered in hugs and kisses. Azalea gave out a squeal, any minute now, Tristan and Peter would come walking through.

"Calm down Lea!" Said Sera but she couldn't even hide her excitement. "They'll come here first, like they always do."

Peter walked among the men- waiting for the path to be easier to pass through. He gave out a sigh. _How am I going to explain this to Azalea? _He thought. He turned to his side and saw the prince on his stallion followed by royal guards. He seemed upset too but then again, his uncle had also been killed in the incident. Finally once the path was slightly cleared, he walked through. He spotted the flower stall and began making his way. As he reached the stall, Azalea swung her arms around him and gave him a big hug. Peter felt like he was about to fall over but regained his balance and embraced her back.

"Peter, I've missed you so!" Azalea spoke into his chest. "Where's…Tristan?" She asked worriedly. Azalea watched Peter's face as tears slid down his cheeks.

"Azalea, I'm so sorry!"

**4 years later**

Azalea woke up to find her window letting in rays of sunshine in. She got out of bed and quickly changed from her night gown to a simple blue dress. As she looked into her mirror, she noticed how much she had changed. She was a woman now. Her midnight black hair reached down to her thighs and her eyes were a darker shade of violet. Her skin was lightly tanned and her height was pretty average.

She brushed through her straight hair and tied it up into a bun. After looking in the mirror for a final glance, she smoothed out her skirt, grabbed her basket and began making her way to the market.

As she walked out of her cottage, her eyes opened wide as she saw a beautiful unicorn eating the grass around a massive oak tree. The unicorn saw her and fled into the forest. She smiled as the white blur disappeared.

She suddenly realised she was going to be late and began running. She worked in the market every day now. Sera could use any help she could get especially with a new born baby. Sera had married Peter a year or two ago and now had a beautiful baby girl.

Azalea came to a holt and saw a wolf feeding on a young deer. The wolf looked up- his teeth covered in blood. Azalea swore she saw him smile. The wolf slowly came walking towards her. She instantly pulled out her bow and arrow from her basket and hit the wolf in the leg. She didn't want to kill it. The wolf yelped in pain and faded into the forest. Azalea took in a deep breathe and began running again. She had the perfect excuse.

As she walked to the flower stall, she could see Sera holding Elena and Peter smiling down on her. Azalea smiled. "You guys are so cute!" She laughed. Peter came up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Mornin' Azalea." He picked up his bag and waved at the girls before leaving.

The morning went by quickly and they didn't have many customers but Azalea was fine with that because now she could talk to Sera and hold the baby. She kissed Elena who was sleeping in her arms.

"Sera, she is so beautiful!" She whispered.

"You'd make a great mother, Lea." Sera replied. "You really should find a man."

Azalea sighed. Sera was right but she wasn't going to let her win so easily. "I'm too old."

"Nonsense! There's many folks who are older than you and still not married. There's the prince and his cousins plus many more!"

"Yeah, well they're royalty for god's sake! I'm…nothing."

Sera stood up. She would have smacked the back of Azalea's head if she wasn't holding Elena. "Azalea, you're freakin' magical! I think that beats royalty anytime."

Suddenly a little girl walked in. Azalea recognised her immediately. The little girl sniffed the flowers and then smiled at Azalea. She slowly walked up to her and leaned over to see the baby.

"She is so cute!" The little girl said. "Is she your baby?" Azalea's thoughts had drifted else where. She watched the crowd and suddenly noticed two other people walking into the stall. It was the prince and Lady Penelope- his cousin. The prince picked up the little girl- not even looking at Azalea. She quickly stopped staring.

"No- she is not." She replied.

The prince gave Azalea a confused look which soon turned to shock.

"She is mine." Sera said as she walked up to the little girl and gave her a flower.

"It matches your dress perfectly." The little girl giggled as Sera placed the flower in her hair.

"It matches her eyes too!" She said as she pointed at Azalea. Azalea felt embarrassed but smiled anyway. The prince was still staring at her.

"Prince Theodore and Kara!" Came Lady Penelope's voice. The Eldest of the Prince's three cousins.

"We shouldn't be here! Especially without guards!" She shrieked. "Come, before we get dirty." At this point, Lady Penelope looked straight at Azalea and raised an eyebrow. "What strange eyes you have."

Azalea ducked her eyes and just after she and Sera curtsied, the royal family left.


	3. Meetings

_Are they really that strange?_ Azalea thought to herself as she made her way home. She didn't care what Lady Penelope thought at first but it really bothered her now and the prince, what was his problem?

Azalea stopped and stared at the moon. So bright and big. She was half way home and it was getting very dark. The smartest thing to do would be run home before harmful creatures appeared and possibly attacked her but she always took her time when going home. Having a strong soldier for a brother, she knew exactly how to protect herself.

When Azalea reached her small home, she was so tired that she went straight to sleep without bothering to eat anything or even change her clothes.

The next morning, she woke suddenly from the sound of a scream- not the screams in her night mares but real screams. She quickly grabbed her bow and arrow and rushed outside.

The sight outside shocked her to stillness. _A dragon! _

The dragon must have sensed her presence because it turned its head towards her.

Its red scaly skin glinting in the sunshine and its giant wings casting shadows over her. The dragon snorted and smoke came from its nostrils causing her to cough.

"Take that!"

Azalea quickly twisted her head and saw a young man attacking the dragon with a sword. There was something familiar about him but she couldn't see him clearly due to his fast movements. The dragon gave out terrifying screams. The fighter obviously didn't realise he was only making the dragon angrier.

Azalea knew lots about dragons including their weak spots. In this case, the dragon's weak spot would be just bellow the chin. She prepared her bow and was ready to shoot but she couldn't aim properly. The dragon was moving too fast and she was shaking uncontrollably. It was not like you could blame her- the dragon was gigantic.

The young man who was fighting the dragon was now up a tree. It was a rather humorous sight. Azalea began breathing deeply and let the arrow slip through her bow. It went skimming through the air and straight into the dragon's neck. The dragon instantly stopped attacking the man and gave out another startling scream. It stretched out his wings- knocking the man off the tree. Azalea gave out a surprising shriek. For a moment she was sure the dragon was going to step on the man but he rolled over and the dragon flew away- blood dripping down its neck.

Azalea took a deep breath to let the shock settle in. Looking towards the trees, she noticed the man wasn't moving. She dropped the bow and ran to his side. The man's chest was covered in blood and his leg had a small branch jabbed into it. Ouch.

However Azalea was shocked into stillness when she discovered his identity. It was the prince. She knew she had seen him from somewhere. Azalea's body slouched a bit and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She bent down and felt his pulse. Her long hair lightly brushed his cheek and the prince softly grunted. A small smile appeared on Azalea's face.

"Thank the heavens he's alive!" She whispered to no one in particular.

A rustle from behind her made Azalea instantly tense up. She realised she had dropped her bow and had nothing to protect her and the almost dead prince by her side. After what seemed like hours which were only seconds, a large creamy coloured horse stepped out. Azalea could have laughed at herself for being so afraid. She noticed the Meircri colours painted on the horses saddle. _This must be his highness's horse._ she thought.

After carefully lifting the prince into her small cottage which to her happiness was still standing, Azalea began cleaning his wounds. She slid his vest off and ripped his shirt open. There was a large gash across his chest and it was bleeding an awful lot. For a moment, Azalea was sure she was going to vomit. So much blood! She took in a deep breath and began cleaning with a wet cloth. After all the blood was cleaned, Azalea could see exactly how big the gash was. She could also see the prince's well-built chest. She knew he had been fighting in the war some years back but she had no idea how much physical activity was required.

She applied some minty cream onto the gash and bandaged it up. She then moved onto his leg. She had already removed the stick and the extra splinters left behind. She removed his knee high boots and pulled his pants up a bit so she could clean the blood. _Too bad you don't need to take his pants off. _Azalea thought to herself but after realising what it was, her eyes widened and she mentally scolded herself.

Next she cleaned the dirt off his face. After doing so, she got a good look of him. He was actually pretty handsome. Messy blonde hair covered parts of his face and a short plait went down his back. He had nice tanned skin and had a masculine jaw. Azalea couldn't help but wonder what colour eyes he had.

Azalea stood up and picked up the bucket to her side. It contained bloody water and a blood stained cloth. She had laid the prince on the bed in the spare room - Tristan's old room. Another thought occurred to her. Now that she had _royalty_ in her home, she would need to clean it. Azalea groaned. The prince was already annoying her.

She washed extra dishes, dusted the shelves and broomed every corner of the cottage. She then watered her plants. If there was one thing Azalea loved about her cottage, it was the many plants. They hung from the walls and lay in pots in corners of the house. Azalea opened the kitchen curtains and smiled as the bright sunshine came in.

It then occurred to her, she had not had breakfast yet. She opened a cupboard and began removing ingredients to make breakfast for two- just in case the prince woke up. The next few days were going to be extremely awkward. What would she tell her friends? Azalea almost dropped the bowl she was holding. She had totally forgotten about work.

"It wouldn't hurt if I left the prince on his own for a bit…" She whispered to herself. Azalea sighed, quickly finished preparing breakfast and ran out the door. Sera would probably be getting angry at her for always being late.

**A few hours later**

Theodore groaned as he woke up. His chest, leg and head were killing him. It was after inspecting his bandages that he realised he was inside an unfamiliar place. As he recalled, he had come searching for Azalea. Theodore sighed. What was he doing anyway? He was only putting her in danger and she would hate him as soon as she discovered his identity. Theodore almost jumped when he realised he was topless. He hoped she hadn't spotted the tattoo on his back. It was in the shape of a black circle with strange inscriptions inside. It was there so people could recognise that he was a hawk even though they didn't exist anymore. The group had split up years ago, right after the death of Tristan and Tal. The boys had never seen Stefan so angry. It wasn't the way he was shouting or the way he destroyed the room they were in but the determination to get revenge in his eyes.

Theodore had always kept the tattoo hidden - no one but him and Vincent, his most loyal friend knew. Vincent also had the tattoo but unfortunately for him, it was marked on his forehead. He kept it hidden with a long piece of clothe circling his forehead.

Theodore carefully stood up from the bed. He noticed a messy heap which he soon discovered were clothes. He picked up a creamy coloured tunic. His chest ached as he slid it on.

Next he walked into the next room which happened to be the kitchen. He had skipped breakfast this morning and from what he could see outside the window, it was past noon. He spotted the pancakes placed on the shelf. Without hesitation, he picked the plate up, sat down by the table and began eating. Now all he had to do was wait until Azalea returned.


	4. The bad guys

**Enjoy the chapter! I'm going to try and make the chapters longer but this one had to be short. Don't forget to review!**

Azalea hesitantly waved goodnight to Sera and slowly began making her way home. She really didn't want to go home but she couldn't let the injured prince starve. _He probably hasn't cooked a single meal in his life._ She thought bitterly to herself.

Azalea knew it was strange to talk to herself but she couldn't help it. She was so alone in such a big war torn country. She had always thought of leaving this place for just a little while…until the war stopped. _Like that's ever going to happen. _

It had been going on for so long now, other countries didn't care to show their support. _The war isn't as serious as it was before now. _She thought. _But that's probably because all the soldiers have died. _

She was nearing the cottage now and her anxiety was growing. A horse was nibbling on wild flowers near by. Azalea recognised it as the Prince's steed. The animal raised his head in curiosity but returned to its grazing after deciding Azalea was no harm.

She entered the cottage and put her basket down. Walking further down, she could hear soft laughter. The prince sat slouched over a book. He obviously heard her because his golden brown eyes lifted up to meet hers.

"Y-your highness." She stuttered as she curtsied. In reply, Theodore smiled and placed the book down.

"Thankyou Azalea…for everything. Your work is…incredible!" He replied as he gestured to his injuries. The candle to his side made his face brighten and his eyes twinkle.

"Erg…You're welcome…sorry about the cottage- there was no place else I could take you, your highness.."

Theodore chuckled softly. "No, no! Its nice! I like it." You could tell by his grin that he truly meant it.

Azalea gave a nervous laugh that sounded more like a dog choking on a bone than any human. Realising this, she coughed and looked down at her feet. Living on her own, Azalea was never good at socialising so she had her fair share of awkward moments. This, though, was definitely somewhere on the top.

As it turned out, the prince himself was out of words. After more silence, the two decided to eat. Azalea had no idea of how to act like a "lady". She never had the opportunity to learn something like that. If Theodore noticed, he obviously didn't mind.

"Your highness, if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing so far in the forest?" Azalea hesitantly asked. Her cottage was located rather far into the forest. It took her years to figure out the correct route. In countless times, she had been found in tears by her grandmother.

Theodore looked up from his food. He had been in deep thought. "Well, I actually came to find you…" He said as he swallowed a mouthful. "My cousins behaviour towards you- and your friend was rude and unnecessary. For that, you have my deepest apologies!"

As Theodore continued with his rambling, Azalea coughed to try and get his attention. "I don't mind. Really." The prince smiled and pushed back his finished meal.

"Wonderful! Erg…Its getting late…so…"

Azalea stood up and curtsied yet again.

"You really don't need to do that." Theodore spoke as he ran his fingers through his hair. He smiled and walked to his new room. After being examined, it had been decided that he couldn't go home just yet. With his injuries, he would not be able to endure the journey home. To be honest, he didn't really want to.

If there was one person Theodore did not want to meet the eyes of, it was his father. His father may have been the king but the way he was so isolated from his family was intolerable. The long war had split up the royal family immensely. They could not be around each other without brining politics in. The years he had spent in the war, entirely his fathers decision, had been dire but home was no different. On the battle field he had friends. Not friends that just hung around you because of your status but true friends. People you could laugh with- even at during life-threatening situations.

Theodore raked his fingers through his hair again trying to relieve the frustration- an action he had picked it up from his father. The fact that surprised Theodore most was how much they had in common. He never truly liked his father. He would always be away or too busy to spend time with him but that was exactly where Theodore was heading. He was becoming the same isolated man that took more time for his work than his family and friends.

He sighed and slumped onto the small bed. Gazing at the ceiling, he realised his life was not so different from Azaleas. They both were practically alone in the world and possessed great power that was much better kept secret than otherwise. If people discovered how much magical power Azalea had in her and Theodore's hidden identity, they would without doubt, take advantage of the two. Forcing Azalea to use her power like they had done to Tristan or blackmailing Theodore in exchange for riches.

Theodore sighed once more and closed his eyes. His weak body instantly gave in to the enticing lull of sleep…

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The dark figure hovering over the orb let out a soft chuckle.

"Theodore, you fool!" He exclaimed. But then his eyes fell on the clock and he sighed as he discovered that it was getting rather late- even for him. Standing grandly, his long black cloak brushing against the cold marble floor, he strode towards the iron doors that led out of his watchtower. His hood covered most of his face except for a few strands of silver hair.

Stefan had grown taller over the years. Although he was slim, beneath his cloak, he was well toned with muscles. He picked up a glass with dark wine swirling inside and began making his way across the dimly lit hallways, brushing his fingers against the cold dark walls.

Finally he arrived at his destination. He pushed the heavy doors open and sauntered in. Unlike any of the other rooms of the massive castle, this large room was filled with noise. Men staggered around drunkenly and cruel laughter rang out across the room, mixed with the loud piano in the background. The air was filled with smoke and smelt of sweat. It was rather revolting but what did you expect from a bunch of lazy drunks.

Stefan grimaced and dropped his glass on purpose. As he walked down the crowed room, he kept a look out for Dominic. Stefan smirked beneath his hood as he found his companion for the last couple of years. Dominic was slouched over a wooden table, playing poker with other men.

"Dominic, old friend. You and I need to talk…" He spoke with a hint of sarcasm. Dominic grunted but followed Stefan dutifully. They walked silently until they reached Stefan's chambers.

"What now?" Dominic demanded as he slammed the door shut. He obviously was unhappy from being interrupted from his poker games.

"After years of searching, I have finally found what we've been looking for!" Stefan, merrily exclaimed.

Dominic raised an eyebrow and slumped onto a chair. "More like what you've been looking for." Stefan frowned. By the smell of Dominic, he evidently was drunk. Something that occurred quite often.

"You're obviously too drunk to realise how…wonderful this is." Stefan began pacing the room. They had to come up with a plan. A good plan. He couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. "We need to come up with a good plan. Hmm…we could kidnap the girl. If she's anything like her _brother," _He spat that particular word, "She'll be pretty powerful…"

Dominic gave out a bored yawn. "How long will this take?"

"A while…everything must go according to plan. But it will all be worth it in the end! When we hold her prisoner, we'll be able to tap into that enormous power. Imagine it! We'll be bloody rich!"

Dominic raised his eyebrows. "Rich, huh?"

Stefan chuckled. Dominic wouldn't care for all the supremacy and a higher status. All he could think of was being drunk and obtaining more money.

"Changed your mind already?"

"Will I get half?"

Stefan turned around and grunted but nodded anyway.

"Then I'm in." Dominic stood up and reached the door. "By the way, how did you find her?" He asked as he rested his hand on the knob.

Stefan took a sip from his newly acquired glass. "Oh, we have Prince Theodore to…thank…for that."

Dominic laughed manically and slammed the door on his way out. A grin formed on Stefan's face, a plan forming in his mind.


	5. Wheat

**Sorry about the last chapter, I did leave out a few things but hopefully this chapter will fill in more details. I wanted to get this chapter up early so its a little short. Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review!**

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Whilst eating breakfast with his new companion, Theodore's stallion had began acting strange. Through the window, he could see the animal pacing about and whining loudly. Theodore winced as he stood up and went outside to see what was wrong. Azalea followed him.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked him curiously. Theodore shrugged and walked briskly towards the animal. In return, the horse threw up its leg and flared its nostrils. Behind him, Theodore heard Azalea gasp.

"Easy boy…" He said soothingly. He placed his hand against the horse's head.

"Perhaps it was something he ate?" Azalea suggested as she hesitantly walked forward.

"He won't hurt you." Theodore smiled reassuringly.

Azalea returned the smile and placed her hand upon the horse's neck. The horse grunted but remained still.

"Beautiful," She murmured softly.

"Are you referring to me or the horse?" Theodore asked with a wink.

She laughed and shook her head. "My, aren't we arrogant. I was, of course, referring to the animal."

Theodore's smile had disappeared. _I would still come under that category. _He thought bitterly.

Noticing his change, Azalea gazed down at her feet. "I-I probably have a remedy that could help, your highness."

"Don't do that," He said softly.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"Don't remember that you are a just a girl and I am a prince. I like you better when you don't care about who I am."

She found herself smiling despite herself. "I'll be right back!"

She rushed inside the cottage and began scanning the shelves and shelves of medicine. After a minute, she had four bottles dangling in her hands.

Upon returning, she stopped and smiled at the sight before her. Theodore was whispering soothing words to the horse, the sunlight shinning upon them through the break in the forest trees. The horse hesitated but kneeled down on the lush grass. Theodore chuckled lightly at his success.

"He has lovely manners." Azalea spoke as she walked towards them.

"He learned them from me," Theodore offered.

"You sure it wasn't the other way around?"

Theodore laughed and watched as Azalea knelt down beside the animal. She studied his eyes for a moment.

"You never said his name." She said as she placed her hand against the horse's chest.

"Wheat." He replied as he crossed his arms and leaned against a close by tree.

She chuckled but didn't look up. "How did he you come up with that name?"

He shrugged. "Its funny what names children can come up with. Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

"Well if you insist, could you please run in and get a cloth, damp with water?"

He nodded and quickly rushed in to get what she asked for. He found some cloth lying in the corner of the kitchen shelf. He picked it up and dunked it under some water. He almost ran out the cottage. He passed the cloth to Azalea and their fingers brushed. Even after he returned to his original place by the tree, he could still feel the warmth of her hand.

Soon Azalea finished and Wheat was behaving calm again. He knelt down beside her.

"Incredible," He commented. In return, Azalea smiled and began packing the bottles of scented cream.

Together they walked back inside. Azalea smiled happily as she placed the bottles back on the shelf. Her confidence towards the prince had grown immensely over night. He was far from being that arrogant, lazy man she had first imagined.

"Now, moving onto other things…" She said smiling at the prince.

Theodore raised his eyebrow and uncrossed his arms, confused. She giggled. "Your bandages, silly!"

"Oh…" He replied, turning three shades of red. Azalea only laughed harder and walked into the next room. By the time he was seated, Azalea returned with a handful of bandages and more creams.

"Erg…Will you please remove your shirt?" She asked. Realization hit Theodore. Thank god he wasn't sitting on a stool but a chair. He couldn't let Azalea see his tattoo. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and placed it beside the chair.

He glanced down and saw that the bandages were stained with blood. Azalea clicked her tongue and hurried over.

"You didn't notice the bleeding?" She untied the bandages and began unwinding them.

Theodore winced. "No…how long will it take for them to heal anyways?"

Azalea looked at Theodore with a raised eyebrow. "You think I'm incredible? Why you don't seem to feel pain! That's _incredible._"

_You've got no idea._ He thought, gazing out the window. He was so deep in thought; he didn't realize Azalea was still talking.

"…a few weeks and I'm afraid that the scar will remain." Theodore snapped back into attention.

"Oh…okay."

The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence. Fortunately, Azalea finally finished changing the bandages. She forced a smile and walked out the door. She returned minutes later to find Theodore (fully dressed) wandering around the room. He scanned the shelves and at some points, raised an eyebrow. There were a lot of exotic and strange items located around the room.

Azalea cleared her throat. He instantly looked up and grinned. "You have some very…strange objects."

"Thank you," She didn't know if it was a compliment or otherwise. "Well, I have to go now. Just for today though, something tells me I need to keep an eye on you."

Theodore smiled and nodded his thanks. She quickly walked out the door; his watchful eyes making her feel ill at ease. Little did she know that two other pairs of eyes were watching her leave the house.

Somewhere far off, two figures were looming over a glowing orb. Inside the orb, an image of the prince slumping onto a chair was revealed.

"Why is it showing the _prince_!?" Dominic growled. "Aren't we meant to be focusing on the girl?"

Stefan was getting awfully frustrated with Dominic. "I can only see people I've touched, you moron! So this is the best we've got unless of course you've met the girl and somewhere in the past _4 years_ and forgot to mention it!"

Dominic frowned. "Don't call me a moron, you bitch!"

"Bastard"

"Whatever jerk!"

"Shut up! I don't have time for your stupid quarrels!" Stefan cried out in anger. He took in a deep breath and continued. "Moving onto other things, have you got it?"

From beneath his cloak, Dominic pulled out a small box. It was made completely of wood and images of flowers were engraved into it. He threw it to Stefan who snickered as he caught it. "And what about our…outfits?"

Dominic's fowl mood completely vanished. He laughed and leaned back in his chair. He pointed to a heap of clothing resting upon an antic chair.

"Oh, it will be a humorous sight to see you in those!"

Stefan growled. "It will all be worth it…in the end."


	6. Fear

It was the anniversary of her brother's death. A day that Azalea usually spent in emotional turmoil and hysteria. This year was no different. By the time the day was over and Azalea was returning home her senses had truly left her. As soon as she entered the forest, fear gripped her. Her teeth were chattering and she crossed her arms to keep warm. Something was wrong. The sun had set some time ago and now the forest looked extremely unwelcoming. The trees loomed high above her and swayed dangerously in the wind.

A tree branch snapped somewhere and the sound made her jump. She was shaking uncontrollably now and had a niggling feeling of being watched. The fear overwhelmed her and she ran at a speed she didn't know she was capable of. The trees went by in a blur and she could only just see her path.

Her breathing became heavier, her legs were burning, the fingers around her basket were digging into her palm and her dress was weighing her down. This would not be a good time to be attacked. Who knew what was lurking in the shadows? Carnivorous beasts or even the drunk men found late in the city. The thoughts in her head sent a shiver down her whole body.

Suddenly she came to a halt. She was face to face with a wolf. The beast's glowing eyes stared straight at her. It was fairly large but not to an extent that it was called monstrous. It limped closer to her and Azalea instantly recognised it as the wolf she had injured.

Azalea stood stiffly - wanting nothing more than to scream. She didn't know what to do. Should she run? Attack it? Or maybe play dead? The fear of being in such an unfortunate position fogged her head. She ran back. Knowing that the path she was running down was too easy for the wolf to follow, she jumped into the trees. She ran aimlessly through the trees - tears escaping her eyes.

_It wouldn't be so bad to die, _She thought. _No one would really miss me. _Knowing that this wasn't true, she groaned.

Something in her stomach made her feel slightly queasy. She knew exactly what it was when her skin turn paler and she began glowing an icy blue. Without seeing her reflection, she knew her hair was turning silver. Her powers were trying to help her.

Azalea had never mastered her powers unlike her brother. She had distinctly seen what he could do when he sent a force of energy at a rat. The rat dropped dead instantly, smoke emerging from its gaping mouth. Tristan had explained in the least complicated way he could: cooking the insides of rodent. It was awfully gruesome.

Returning back to the present, Azalea didn't know how long she had been running. It came to an end when she caught her foot in a tree root. She crashed onto the ground hard. Her glowing body returned to its normal colour and her hair was midnight black once again. She knew she had bruised her ribs and could feel the blood running down her scratched arms.

The pain of it all was quickly forgotten when the wolf appeared. It was too dark to see but the wide eyes stood out perfectly. She gulped and expected the beast to attack any moment now. Nothing happened for a while. The wolf was taunting her. It was taking pleasure in its victory. It leapt into the air - aiming straight at Azalea. It's pays dug into her knees before being knocked out the way. It crashed into a large tree and cried out in pain.

Azalea gasped and looked up at her rescuer. It was Theodore. His eyes were hard as he waited for the wolf to return but it didn't. Sighing, he finally looked down at her. Azalea wasn't sure if he had seen her powers taking form but his expression confirmed it.

He reached out his hand for her and Azalea quickly took it. She tried to stand but the pain in her ankle and knees caused her to fall. Expecting to crash into the ground again, she was surprised when two strong arms caught her.

Theodore looked down at her before picking her up in his arms. Despite the fact that his injuries were not even half healed, he seemed to carry her weight with ease.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a low tone. Azalea was still shaking. The wind felt icy against the sweat forming around her face.

"Bloody terrific." She replied through chattering teeth.

Theodore chuckled and with Azalea still in his arms, he started heading back to the cottage.

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Azalea was now safely back in her home. The light from the lanterns revealed how badly wounded she was. The scratches running down her arms were actually gashes. Her knees felt especially sore and it had been verified by Theodore that her ankle was broken. Despite the fact he could recognise broken bones, Theodore didn't know much about first aid. Azalea was going to have to do this herself.

"Okay, pass me the little green bottle to your left." She said as she pressed wet cloth on her wounds. There were many green bottles to Theodore's left so he reached out to the closest one.

"No, don't touch that!" Azalea shouted before his fingers touched it. "The one with the round lid!"

"Practically all of them have round lids!" He almost yelled back. He couldn't do this and it was making him frustrated. He raked his fingers through his hair and a plan formed in his mind.

"You know what, its about time I re-payed you." He announced. "It's about time some one looked after _you._ I think I'm fit enough to travel - I could take you to the castle--"

"--Oh no you don't!" Azalea interrupted before he could continue. "I can take care of myself and it would be too…complicated."

"Come on, Azalea! You've got gashes down your arms and legs, your ankle is broken and god knows what else is wrong with you! What if you're wounds get infected- how are you going to make it to the city with a broken ankle?!"

She knew he was right. Nothing this serious had happened before and even at other times, she had some one to take care of her. The thoughts of her family caused a lump to form in her throat. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

"…What would I do though?" She asked.

"You could pretend to be some noble from a distant country!"

Her eyes shot up instantly. "That would never work!"

"Oh please," Theodore rolled his eyes in a very childish manner. "I don't even know half the nobles that come stay at the palace and my father is no better! No one would know and I can back you up - they'll believe me!"

"Your cousin will recognise me." Azalea interjected. "It's not every day you see someone with _violet_ eyes- she made that very clear."

Theodore sighed and walked towards her. "My cousin wouldn't recognise you if you were orange and had frilly pink wings as long you were a commoner!" He exclaimed. "No offence."

_I'm actually blue. _She thought to herself. Giving up, she sighed. "Fine but what if something--"

"--Don't worry!" Theodore interrupted. "I won't let anything happen." He grinned crookedly and crossed his arms. Azalea blushed. With his looks, he could probably get anything he wanted.

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The sun had rose hours ago and the pair had just arrived at the palace. They had taken a secret route that Theodore knew so they would go unnoticed. It would be very scandalous if the crown prince arrived with some random girl through the front gates. Theodore could only imagine what his father would think. The thought made him turn red but remembering that his father was probably away, he was no longer embarrassed but angry.

Once they reached the back door to the palace kitchens, Theodore jumped off his horse and gently picked Azalea off. Before they walked further, Theodore cleared his throat.

"Okay, Your name is Lady Azalea Strife and you are from Terrell. You are part of a wealthy noble family who are rather unsocial and aloof. I met you after I got injured in my "travels" and your family had offered to take care of me."

Azalea nodded after registering his words. With a sigh, he walked onwards.

With Azalea still in his arms, Theodore knocked rapidly on the wooden door. After a minute, a puggy woman opened the door.

She had rosy cheeks and wore a maid's uniform. Her hair was tied in a bun but bits of hair stuck out. She was obviously working hard.

The woman gasped and dropped her tray when she realised who it was. "Your Highness!" She exclaimed.

"Ah Marie," Theodore replied smiling cheerfully. "Please arrange a room for Lady Azalea of Terrell and get her dressed properly. She will be staying at the palace for a while. Please do this immediately and I will send a doctor to her room soon.

"Yes, Your Highness." The woman replied and hurried back inside. After the woman could no longer be seen, Azalea groaned loudly and Theodore chuckled.

_This is so not going to work. _She thought resentfully to herself.


	7. The castle

**I'm back and I know what you're thinking- where the hell have I been? Well i got a good feeling you don't want to hear my excuses so i'll just skip that part. **

**Anyways, now you know about Azalea's powers (That sounds incredibly cliche')! In this chapter, we meet more characters including Jasper! (Horray or boo, you'll find out soon)**

**Now on with the story! Please review- i really want to know what you guys think! Also, thanks everybody who has read/reviewed so far. I'm really sorry for the delay!**

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Azalea wriggled her toes and tightened the soft blanket around her. The last twenty-four hours had been a blur and now she was a guest at the royal palace. She was surprised she had made it this far without being found out. As luxurious as it sounded, she didn't want to be here. She could barely survive in normal society and now she was being forced to socialise with pompous nobles.

She sighed heavily and leaned against the many pillows surrounding her. Her violet eyes scanned the room, taking in every little detail. The room was humungous- bigger than her whole house. The walls were a creamy colour trimmed with dark red. The carpets were also creamy- thicker than grass on a spring morning. A large antique wardrobe stood on one side of the room and a beautiful black vanity table was placed on the opposite side. Two large doors to her left lead onto the balcony.

There were many other beautiful items around her but it was the bed she lay on now that intrigued her the most. The bed had enough room to fit a dozen people and was covered in numerous silk sheets and blankets. A mountain of pillows stuffed with the finest feathers lay at the head. A lovely pattern of flowers was engraved elegantly on the wooden bed frame. It was one of the finest things Azalea had ever seen. If her room was this fantastic, she couldn't even imagine the royal family's rooms.

Despite all the lavishes around her, Azalea remained convinced that there was no place as beautiful as the forest.

A rapid knock on the door made Azalea jump suddenly. A sharp pain shot up her right leg. She had forgotten her injuries. The doctor had examined her earlier; a broken ankle, bruised ribs and a lot of cuts and scratches.

"Come in!" Azalea called. An older woman walked in. Her long brown hair was tied neatly into a bun and her face seemed cheerful and bright. She was a rather plump lady and relatively short. In her arms, she carried a basket.

Azalea instantly recognized her as the maid she had met when she first arrived.

"Good morning!" The woman cried cheerfully. "Now young miss, shouldn't you be up and getting ready for breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" Azalea asked dumbly.

The woman named Marie raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes. You will be dining with everybody else won't you?"

Azalea's confused expression turned to utter horror. "But--I--Dine with everybody? As in the nobles?"

"Well who else? The stable animals?" Marie snorted and walked into the bathroom. Azalea groaned. That idea wasn't half bad. Marie reappeared. She was laughing. "I heard you're family was unsocial but you sound like you've never been to any social event. Its just breakfast after all!"

_You're right._ Azalea thought. _But I suppose it is just breakfast. _

She pulled her blankets off and instantly regretted it. All she was wearing was a thin nightdress she had been provided with. It reached just past her knees and was half sleeved.

"My, oh my!" Exclaimed Marie. "You look like you've been attacked by a pack of wolves!"

Azalea rolled her eyes. _One actually._

After a great effort, Marie had helped Azalea reach the vanity table. As soon as she peeked into the mirror, Azalea's mouth dropped. She looked horrible! Her long hair was messy and stuck out in every direction. Worst of all, she had bags under her eyes.

Reading her facial expression, Marie chuckled. "Have no fear my dear, nothing a hair brush, water and a lil' rouge can't fix. Now sit down while I bring some water."

Azalea sat down on the stool in front of the mirror and waited patiently for Marie to return. After a moment Marie bustled back in carrying a white bowl with hot water and a small white towel.

She placed the bowl down and dipped the towel in it. She began cleaning Azalea's face. "Hold still child!" Azalea was getting impatient but stoped fidgeting non the less.

After her face had been "cleaned" (In Azalea's opinion, it looked worse because now it was red from all the scrubbing) and her hair had been brushed, Marie set out to find something for her to wear.

Marie opened the large wardrobe. In front of her stood various dresses of all colours. They were of all styles- puffy, elegant, fancy, and simple. Marie began sorting through them.

"Aha!" She cried as she pulled out a simple light plum dress with black lace. It was almost full sleave and looked beautiful. A thorn pattern was embroidered on in a distinctive pattern.

Marie forced Azalea to stand (despite the pain) and began dressing her. She hummed to herself as she tied the last lace and pushed Azalea in front of the mirror. She almost gasped. She had never worn anything so wonderful.

"Perfect!" Marie exclaimed as she forced Azalea to sit again. She began styling her hair. Azalea watched carefully as her long loose hair was pulled up into a bun and delicate pins were clipped in. At last, Marie applied some blush to Azalea's cheeks and sighed contently.

"Perfect!" She said once again. Azalea smiled as she pulled back loose strands. It wasn't like those enchanting stories she had read. In her eyes, she still looked the same if not for the fact she was properly cleaned.

"Oh, you're going to be late!" Marie suddenly cried. She briskly wiped her hands and began ushering Azalea out. Between pushing her out, Marie instructed Azalea how to act.

"If you want to leave a good impression dear, don't speak unless spoken to! No one likes an out spoken young lass!"

Noticing Azalea's bewildered expression, Marie added, "Don't let that get you down sweet! You'll enjoy yourself- I'm sure!"

With one last push, Azalea was shoved out of the room and the door slammed behind her. With a frown on her face, Azalea slowly began making her away. A few steps later, she clenched her fists in frustration and as her hands began to spark, she realised that she didn't even know where the dining room was! Looking around the endless halfway, Azalea groaned.

"Having a bad morning?" Some one chuckled behind her. Azalea twirled around, eyes wide in surprise. She ignored the pain on her ankle and luckily her glowing fists had returned to normal.

In front of her stood a tall, masculine man. He seemed a few years older than her. Black bangs framed his sharp face and two golden eyes twinkled with open humour. He seemed rather casual with his dark pants and simple white full sleaved tunic. Azalea decided that he was rather handsome.

"Jasper Fahlen." He spoke smoothly as he kissed her lightly on her porcelain hand.

"Erh…Azalea...err St-Strife!" She replied not so smoothly. Feeling incredibly embarrassed, she ducked her eyes. She knew very well that her cheeks had turned bright red from his touch.

"I don't believe we've ever met before for I surely would remember a face like yours." He said with a crooked grin. Azalea liked his grin.

"I don't suppose you know where the dining area is?" She asked.

"I was just heading there!" He replied cheerfully. "This way, my lady."

Azalea smiled shyly and followed. She tried desperately to hide her limp and only flinched when Jasper wasn't looking.

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Although Azalea looked incredibly calm while she stood outside the enormous doors leading to the dining room, she was screaming inside. _I can do this. _She repeated in her head. _Who am I kidding? I can't do this!_

Suddenly the wooden doors were opened and with the company of the ever so charming Lord Jasper, she stepped inside. The dining room was incredible. A large table sat neatly in the middle, surrounded by matching chairs. The marble floor glowed brightly from the large glass chandelier high on the ceiling.

Around the table sat over a dozen different nobles and although she couldn't see him, she knew Theodore was there.

Before she knew it, Azalea was sitting by the table with mounts of food before her. Azalea's nose tingled as she inhaled the sweet aroma. She hadn't seen half the delicacies in her life before but was more than willing to try some. As her eyes wandered around the table, they fell upon something but this something wasn't food but a rather handsome young man.

The familiar young man raked his hand through his messy blonde hair. His golden eyes - which were (surprisingly) narrowed towards Jasper, brightened up as he glanced at Azalea. Something was amiss though because his smile didn't reach his eyes. Azalea returned the smile and her eyes drifted to the other people around her. Everyone at some point was giving her curious looks. Azalea almost coughed up her juice when she noticed Penelope- the arrogant git Theodore called cousin. Penelope looked up with raised eyebrows. Her forehead scrunched up, as she looked Azalea up and down. A young girl tapped her on the shoulder and she resumed her conversation- completely forgetting Azalea.

Azalea sighed (for the millionth time), rolled her eyes and raised her glass to her lips. Now that she was here (and no one had recognised her who she truly was), she might as well enjoy herself.

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Stephan growled as he paced the small clearing. He stopped abruptly and studied the small cottage before him. Despite all the remedies and rare plants, it was missing what he was really looking for- Azalea.

"Lets obliterate it." Came a voice behind him. Stephan turned swiftly and glared at Dominic.

"We're trying to be as subtle as we can," As an afterthought he added, "Idiot."

Dominic rolled his eyes and leaned against a nearby tree. His usual surly expression changed to a grin. "After all that planning and not to mention your adorable outfit (Shut up- you idiot!), they're not even here!"

Stephan stood still and glowered at his clothes. They had decided to dress up as delivery boys and deliver a jinxed box to Azalea. Being the shorter of the two, it had been decided that Stephan would dress as the delivery boy whilst Dominic just hung around.

Stephan looked quite humorous in his too small pants and small shirt. With a proper smile, he could actually pull it off but right now he was angry and therefore looked like a moody little boy.

"Okay, Plan B!" He announced.

"Do we have…a plan B?" questioned Dominic.

"ARGH! Back to the castle then, you git!"

Dominic rolled his eyes and off they trudged back to their castle.


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